The absolute BEST book you MUST read!

[MJ DeMarco]

A reader emailed me last week and asked the following question:

I've read all three of your books and I can't thank you enough, you've changed my life. [Redacted] What other books do you recommend to help me get started on my Fastlane?

While I appreciate the compliment, there are two mental roadblocks to unpack here, roadblocks that will prevent this user from actually experiencing the "life change" he claimed. 

T

The first roadblock is a fundamental truth: I didn't change this reader's life; I only changed his thinking.

And until that thinking manifests itself into repeated action over the weeks, months, and years, "you've changed my life" will wither into an empty platitude of unfilled aspirations.

A book is only as good as your ability to implement it into action. While changing your headspace is a great start, ultimately, those thoughts must materialize in the REAL WORLD. A great quote from the Lao Tze comes to mind:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

In other words, changing your thoughts ignites the process and is step #1. That life change that this reader expressed? That's steps 2, 3, 4, and 5— arguably, the hardest part of the process. And because this reader viewed my books as something much more, his expectations will be malformed. The result likely will be a failure, not success.

The second roadblock is multi-faceted.

If this reader comprehended my books, he wouldn't ask me what books to read next. Reading another book is not the next step—action is. As I like to say, at some point you have to stop reading about swimming and just jump in the pool.

This brings me to the best book I've ever read. The best book I've ever read changes every month. Why? Because I don't read books for the sake of reading books; I read books to solve the problems that stand in front of me. I read books to resolve an issue I'm having, to solve a challenge I'm encountering, or to refine a weakness in my process.

In other words, when you take action (the answer to the first roadblock for my reader) the next book you need to read will become clear.

• Having trouble making good decisions? Read a book about decision-making.
• Accumulating piles of cash? Read a book about investing.
• Having difficulty converting users into paying customers? Read a book about conversion.
• Having trouble attracting users? Read a marketing book.
• Having trouble getting keeping customers happy? Read a book about customer service.
• Having trouble losing weight? Read a book about changing your diet.
• Having trouble with social media addiction? (Our last issue!) Read a book about breaking the spell.

Action, and the challenges yet to arrive, is the only thing that can help you determine the next best book to read.

If "action" was driving a car down the highway, a flat tire would be a problem. What is the best book to read when faced with this issue? How to Fix a Flat Tire? Or, How to Wax and Detail Your Dream Car?

The challenge defines the book.

Despite its popularity, I've never read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Why? Because I already don't give a f*ck.

ACTIONABLE

Stop reading books for the sake of reading books. Instead, create a folder on your computer (or any storage device) that can archive any content that you find interesting and "must read," but isn't relevant to your current situation. My web browser has a bookmarked folder called "Solutions," where I store any interesting content that might solve my future problems.

For example, the last item I stored was an hour-long video entitled "How to get millions in free media coverage." Instead of wasting an hour watching this, I saved it for later. When I'm in a mode of massive marketing outreach and need "millions in free media coverage," I will then (and only then) will consume the content.

Information overload isn't an efficient use of time.

Act. Identify issue. Read

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jon.a]

This is why I haven't finished Unscripted yet. I had to deal with some problems.

 

[PedroG]

Love this! Lately I've been focusing on both marketing and mindset as these are the two areas that I think will make the biggest difference for me going forward.

Also, when you read books that help you solve your current problems, you actually learn and retain the material a lot better because you can put what you learn into practice right away and there is no better way to learn than by doing.

 

[ApparentHorizon]

If you're on a long distance road trip and you blow a tire, but don't know how to change a tire, what book should you be reading?

How to change a tire?

OR

The Lean Startup?

The Lean Startup:
1. Call AAA to get the tire changed
2. Start a great tire company
3. Patent automatic tire changer AI robot
4. Save time waiting for AAA
5. Retire

 

[ZF Lee]

This is why I haven't finished Unscripted yet. I had to deal with some problems.

Me too!
I finally finished the value array and 'value voucher' just recently.
I thought I had been done with the 3Bs (the biases and bullshit part), but I found myself laughing at my mistakes written in black and white before me....they were still in my life like cancer cells that just stay hibernating...
I had to throw out quite a lot of books and reading material because they actually didn't really matter after reading UNSCRIPTED ...they were rabbit holes I didn't need to enter to make money or buy freedom.

In one of my last podcast interviews, I was asked "In your opinion, what is a must read book?"

My answer threw the interviewer for a loop because I didn't provide a specific book.

Instead I said: The absolute best book you must read is actually the book that will help you solve the problem that sits in front of your face.

So if you're struggling to be an entrepreneur, that book might be TMF or UNSCRIPTED .
If you're struggling to build a brand, it might be a book on branding.
If you're struggling to grow your social media and its effectiveness, it might be a social media book.
If you're struggling to find VC funding, it might be a book on VC funding.

You see, you should stop reading books for the sake of reading books.

Read books that solve your problems.

If you're on a long distance road trip and you blow a tire, but don't know how to change a tire, what book should you be reading?

How to change a tire?

OR

The Lean Startup?

And the only thing that tells you WHICH books you should be reading?

*** ACTION ***

Because ACTION highlights your challenges and weaknesses. If you don't start the journey and eventually get to that blown tire, you never come across the problem and learn how to change it. (Or learn how to hire someone to change it.)

IMO, reading is like a diet. If you read too much, you get too 'fat' and 'obese' until you can't move to take action. Thus the term, 'analysis paralysis'. Analogically, if you eat too much, you are not likely to use all the vitamins or nutrients....it's likely to go down the drain.
But if you read only what you need, there's a higher chance of the knowledge is going to be deployed rather than just sit in that miserable pinkish gunk we call a brain. Analogically, people who eat only what they need to eat do use up the stored energy and vitamins more sufficiently and efficiently.

Good thing you put this in the book discussions thread. New people need to read this before sending themselves into wantrapreneur hell. I was there before, and I actually prefer losing ten thousand dollars on a bad business decision than go there again.

 

[V8Bill]

I guess reading about success is easier and much more comfortable than action.

It's also much better than watching mindless TV all day and doing nothing. For many people reading a book is a form of action if the previous best they did was nothing. I've been changed more by books (and audio) than almost anything else. Sure action is of course important if you have an itch to scratch or a specific problem to solve but reading a book about anything to do with success, business, mindset or anything really is still preferred and a huge step up from doing nothing. Depending on the situation, reading a book can be an action fake or an action take as long as it's not stopping you from taking action you need to take right now. I prefer the rabbit warren of a good book over watching Family Feud or getting pissed with or even hanging out with a bunch of side walkers or bench sitters.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[J_Cup]

I guess reading about success is easier and much more comfortable than action.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[MJ DeMarco]

Bump.

BTW, I bump this thread usually when I get an email saying "I loved your book! What book do I read next?"

No, do not read a book next. DO SOMETHING! And let that SOMETHING lead you to your next book.

And since I check my email sporadically, I cannot bump this thread 5X for the same reason.

 

[Empires]

I generally take this a step further.

Rather than reading a book on how to change a tire, I would look up specifically what I don't know.

Where to jack up a car? How to remove stuck lug?

Whatever you are struggling with, marketing, branding, social media, etc.

Theres usually a specific problem you are having. Focus on that problem.

 

[Sean Kaye]

I read different books for a couple different reasons...

I read some books to learn more about things that I find interesting but maybe aren't entirely applicable to me.

I read some books to become better at "who I am". This is about being a better version of myself as a person.

I read some books to become better at things I need to know. This is tactical reading that helps me get better outcomes and achieve my strategic objectives quicker.

 

[GMSI7D]

Love this! Lately I've been focusing on both marketing and mind control (NLP, etc.) as these are the two areas that I think will make the biggest difference for me going forward.

.

absolutely

if you had to learn just one thing in life , this is it :

managing people's behaviour

what we call officialy " giving value "

it's not about value, it's about managing people so you get what you want with their approval, their help, their " yes"

whether it be business deals, cult leader, politics, dating,

anything

the main point : getting people to do what we want

 

[danoodle]

This is a good perspective shift for me as I am a huge reader, although I only agree partly with the premise. I believe there are a lot of amazing "general" mindset type books out there that can really take you to the next level without specifically solving a problem in front of you. I would not have ever came across TMF and met a bunch of amazing people at the fastlane events had I not read books that just came my way, including TMF . I had no clue I even wanted to become an entrepreneur until I had read certain "general" books. I believe it's good to always be reading something that can potentially shift your mindset, even if it doesn't necessarily directly solve a problem, although I do agree you can read and read and read, and not take any action, and all that reading would be frivolous.

Now if I were asked what my top 5 must-read books were, Unscripted would be in there

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[MTF]

I currently struggle with this.. Constant reading and consumption of information. Sometimes I'll switch audiobooks 5 times in 20 minutes because I want to be sure I constantly have that feeling that I'm learning something NEW.

The reason I don't stop is because I'm terrified of losing the habit of learning. I remember what it was like having 0 brain cells in high school, pretty much a dummy. The last 6-8 months of this reading habit have transformed my brain.

Tim Ferriss recently addressed it in a podcast. He said that reading books is a socially-acceptable method of procrastination. His advice was to focus on knowledge that's "just in time" (stuff you're dealing with now) rather than "just in case" (stuff you "may" need sometime in the future).

Also, you don't need to read business books to learn. Consider reading autobiographies or non-business non-fiction to learn about topics that interest you. And treat it as your entertainment, not one of your business tasks.

 

[hatedsalesrep]

In one of my last podcast interviews, I was asked "In your opinion, what is a must read book?"

My answer threw the interviewer for a loop because I didn't provide a specific book.

Instead I said: The absolute best book you must read is actually the book that will help you solve the problem that sits in front of your face.

So if you're struggling to be an entrepreneur, that book might be TMF or UNSCRIPTED .
If you're struggling to build a brand, it might be a book on branding.
If you're struggling to grow your social media and its effectiveness, it might be a social media book.
If you're struggling to find VC funding, it might be a book on VC funding.

You see, you should stop reading books for the sake of reading books.

Read books that solve your problems.

If you're on a long distance road trip and you blow a tire, but don't know how to change a tire, what book should you be reading?

How to change a tire?

OR

The Lean Startup?

And the only thing that tells you WHICH books you should be reading?

*** ACTION ***

Because ACTION highlights your challenges and weaknesses. If you don't start the journey and eventually get to that blown tire, you never come across the problem and learn how to change it. (Or learn how to hire someone to change it.)

Already loving these forums. I been thinking to myself lately if I have been getting used to the idea of "reading" as an excuse to just read everything that doesn't pertain to my priorities. Seeing someone describe it perfectly like I felt it makes it much clearer. Ill grab some freelancing/data books in the meantime.(Gotta finish unscripted first tho)

IMHO from experience, I feel like people are so in love with the personal growth, mindset, finance side of books since it changed their lives that they are honestly scared to put them down and read something else for fear old scripts might come back. Its almost like "I gotta be reading this 24/7 or I'll go back to my old self again!"

 

[Laughingman21]

I realised very recently my mistake in just reading. I had put this down as a form of taking actions, when in reality just reading business books is a brilliant example of action faking. Learning theory is nothing like learning from your mistakes. It’s a good starting point, but unless you then follow up with action, it’s a waste of time.

Reading too much can also slow your progress down in a number or ways. For example:

• You spend too long trying to develop the perfect system without having any real world experience. In reality you need to get something to market and adapt your system to the feedback
  
  
• Analysis Paralysis – you spend too long comparing your expectations against the charts in the books
  
  
• You wait to launch until after you’ve read one more book on start-ups
  
  
• You read something that introduces doubt into your mind so you postpone launching while you research more

I’ve been guilty of all these things, but learnt far more from having a product to market and getting feedback from customers or sales numbers.

 

[scott wisniewsk]

The best book is the one that inspires you to finally take action. I was so sick of my job ,it was time to leave . I didnt want another job ,I just wanted to start my own business . Fear kept me from going on my own. But every day for lunch I would read inspiring books about people being successful , that helped me get over the fear and take a leap of faith . It was scary but looking back 27 years later it turned out to be the best decision I ever made

 

[SeePetey]

For an EXCELLENT book about one of the most underrated but important guys in modern business history, read “The Box” by Marc Levinson.

It’s about, of all things, the invention and evolution of the modern shipping container and how it completely changed the world. You will NOT be disappointed. It sounds dry, but it will get you fired up.

Considering that this is the Fastlane forum, reading a thoroughly enjoyable book like this with an Unscripted mindset will give you a much deeper and more meaningful appreciation than the average reader might have. You’ll see as the 3B’s are overcome, how value was created, the payoff of vision and persistence, and the value of integrity and an unselfish business mindset.

Forget Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Zuckerburg, Jack Ma, etc.

Instead, revel in the tale of Malcom Mclean as he took on a logistical mindset as old as time (how to ship stuff) and beat it into submission seemingly by sheer force of will and persistence, and in the process created value and global change on a scale scarcely, if ever, seen before.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[socaldude]

I tend to avoid business books(except TMF of course ). I think the best information is found elsewhere.

And tend to lean towards art, history, psychology and philosophy.

For a few reasons:

1. There a lot of things that went into building successful businesses that others would prefer to be kept secret(and that's ok). So you get skewed and somewhat inaccurate methods and information. Kind of like how Warren Buffett hasn't written a book on investing and how other books on Warren Buffet's method are kinda um...useless.

2. The problem that entrepreneurs solve in society are unique in nature so that requires unique books, the kind that is not found in a business book. e.g. Elon Musk's favorite books have nothing to do with business.

3. What works in one company doesn't work in another and so on. And what works 10 years ago may not work today.

4. The business solutions that have the potential for millions to be made are found nowhere(and guaranteed not found in a business book trust me). They are found right in your head. So you kinda have to think independently and stop looking for a silver bullet. Remember we want patents things of that nature, exclusive and ambitious barriers to entry. Most people are not ambitious when it comes to barriers to entry.

Psst...The best books are books that help give you self-awareness to remove barriers to rigorous and critical thinking and that give you a good framework for independent thinking and problem solving.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Bump.

 

[Laughingman21]

Everyone will have their own best book and I also think they're likely to change throughout their lifetime as they grow and change.

For me, Mindset by Prof Carol Dweck was life changing because it made me realise I had a fixed mindset and I was my own limiting factor. For me it was the right book at the right time, but it wouldn't be right for everyone.

I read books regularly but every now and then I read something that sparks me into action. I realise now after reading @MJ DeMarco 's post that it's because I've lacked focus in my book choices. Going forwards, I'll make sure I'm choosing books on my current knowledge gap, not what looks interesting.

 

[Interesting Life]

Millionaire Fastlane (That's why I'm here), Unchained Man, Four Hour Workweek (Hey I like it), Who Moved My Cheese, Play to Win...

I'd say though that the books that led you to taking real world action are the only ones that count. Some books can make you feel good, but if you don't act then what's the point? You might as well be reading 50 Shades of Grey (that's an UNSCRIPTED joke )

 

[NVious]

There are absolutely books you should read, the problem is if people think there are a few that give them all the knowledge they'll need, realistically the number is more like 50-100.

Also taking action isn't some fix all, the majority of ideas and businesses people own/create ARE bad as 80% of them fail in the first 5 years. They took action and yet they still failed, action without methodical contemplation is just as bad as ongoing contemplation, maybe even worse depending on the cost of the action .

The truth is, that the business market has never been as competitive as it is today and thinking that just pushing yourself to do XYZ is all it takes is an insane delusion.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Era]

For some people, reading can be a form of escapisim just like TV and can even be addicting. Proceed with caution. If the book or article does not help you or bring value in this specific stage of your life, skip it.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Interesting Life]

Different keys for different locks

(No, that's not the name of a book. Different books can make sense for different people in different situations at different times in their life)

Whenever people ask a question like that where they ask "what's the one best _____?", I think it would make more sense to ask what are five excellent or some of the best _____________?

 

[PureA]

Gold IMO - Learn what is required for the next hurdle in your life whatever that may be, relationships, spiritually, business, physical fitness, whatever!

Of course applying some of what you learn may also be a smart next step.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[BrooklynHustle]

Love this. Stop reading to read. Read to solve a problem.

In one of my last podcast interviews, I was asked "In your opinion, what is a must read book?"

My answer threw the interviewer for a loop because I didn't provide a specific book.

Instead I said: The absolute best book you must read is actually the book that will help you solve the problem that sits in front of your face.

So if you're struggling to be an entrepreneur, that book might be TMF or UNSCRIPTED .
If you're struggling to build a brand, it might be a book on branding.
If you're struggling to grow your social media and its effectiveness, it might be a social media book.
If you're struggling to find VC funding, it might be a book on VC funding.

You see, you should stop reading books for the sake of reading books.

Read books that solve your problems.

If you're on a long distance road trip and you blow a tire, but don't know how to change a tire, what book should you be reading?

How to change a tire?

OR

The Lean Startup?

And the only thing that tells you WHICH books you should be reading?

*** ACTION ***

Because ACTION highlights your challenges and weaknesses. If you don't start the journey and eventually get to that blown tire, you never come across the problem and learn how to change it. (Or learn how to hire someone to change it.)

 

[Deleted52191]

I had to throw out quite a lot of books and reading material because they actually didn't really matter after reading UNSCRIPTED ...they were rabbit holes I didn't need to enter to make money or buy freedom.

Agree +1

 

[BD64]

Now that I've started getting some income I've been also trying to learn how to handle money and make use of it better. I've really been enjoying books like The Richest Man in Babylon and such for this purpose. Using interesting stories to teach simple but powerful concepts like making your money work for you, having a nest egg/emergency fund, learning to live within your means and being very careful with where your money goes.

Another book I've started reading is The One Thing which has been great. I graduate college tomorrow and hence afterwards will really be able to start my fastlane journey. With that being said I've always had trouble prioritizing and keeping myself focused on a single direction. This book addresses those issues very specifically and has been helping to figure out what the hell it is I'm going to focus on.

"If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one" -some Russian dude.

 

[msufan]

To add to MJ's point about reading the book about what you need to work on...

When I read negative reviews for various books, sometimes those reviews are legit, but a huge percentage of the time, the person just isn't the intended audience for that book. It's not that the book had no value, it's just that they were simply reading a book that was not well-aligned with the problem they were trying to solve.

I try to consider that question before criticizing someone's work: "Is this book really of no value to anyone, or was I just not the proper audience?"

 

[Antifragile]

John Wooden: "Five years from now, you're the same person except for the people you've met and the books you've read...."

What one book would you wish you had if you were stranded on a deserted island? “A book on how to build a ship”

I will through osmosis start to gain the bad habits of the people around me, like watching a ton of TV, scrolling on social media or not having any vision in life, walking in circles with no direction

Why? You have your own brain - use it. You don’t need to be surrounded by only successful people to be successful. You decide what and who you want to be. Not your environment. Accept it as a fact. Move on and enjoy living on your own terms.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.